Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-09-24

bolts, ami THUS render ~ quito lmpructichhla
for an enemy 10 pass. Tho third entrance
consisted OF o flight q ton curved black
marble stops lending 20 q doorway cut IN tho
palace wall This wall was IN itself u work
Of art. being built Of huge blocks u granite to
The height Of forty feet, and 20 fashioned that
10 face wnn conraya, whereby Il wnsrciderod
practically impossible forit to BE- scaled TO
this doorway our guido led u. Tho door,
which WINS very ~innasivc, and mndc of wood
protected by an outer gate Of bronze, was
closed; but on our approach II WINS
thrown wide, aud we were net by the
challenge OF a sentry, who WA armed with
a heavy. triangular blnded apoar. not UNI
lIke a Lsyonet III shape, and 4 cutting sword,
aud protected by breast and back plates Of
carefully prepared hippopotamus hide, and a
snisil round shield fashioned Of tho same
tough material. Tho sword instantly at
'raoted our attention; IL was practically
t~ienticHl with the ono IN the possession OF Mr..
Mackenzie which he had obtained from the Il
stassea wanderer. There was no MISLEADING
the gaia lfned fiutwors CIT IN tho thickness
ofthe blade! Sothe man isad told The truth
after all. Our guide instantly gave n pass
word, which the soldier meteorological by
letting the iron Ahaft OF his spear fall with a
ringing sound upon tho pavement, and we
pascal on through the massive wall into the
courtyard OF tho palace. This was atout
forty yards isquare, end laid out In flower
beds full OF lovely shrubs and plants, many
Of which were quito new to me. Through
the confer Of this garden ran O broad walk
formed Of powdered shells brought from tho
i.f.a a.. 4b0w r1,oo ~ r~oxe6f Io1A.f..- ttEn
wo came to another doorway witt q round,
heavy arch, which Is hung with thick cur
tains, for thore are no doors In ths palace IT.
self. Then came another short passage, and
we were In the great hall Of the palace. and
once more stood astonishcd at the simple und
yet overpowering grandeur OF the place.
The hall is, as we afterwards learned, $50
feet long by 30 wide. and hns a magnificent
arched roof Of carved wood. Down the en-
tire length Of the building there are on either
side, and at a distance OF twenty feet from
the wall, slender shafts of black marble
spfinging sheer to the roof, beautifully fiuted
and with carved capitals. At one end of
this great place which these pillars support is
the group Of which / have already spoken as
executed by the king Rademas to commemor-
ate his building Of the staircase; and really,
when we had time TO admire It, its loneliness
almost struck US dumb The group, of which
the figures nre In white, and the rest In black
marble, is about half as large again as life,
and represents a yoang man Of noble coun-
tenance and form sleeping heavily upon a
couch. One arm is carelessly thrown over
the side OF this couch, and his head reposes
upon the other, Its carling locks partially hid
ing 1t. Bending over him, her hand resting
on his forehead, Is q draped female form Of
such white loveliress asto make the beholders
breath stand still. And as for the calm glory
that shines rpon her perfect face-well, | can
never hope to describe It. But there it rests
like the shadow of an angels smile; and
power, love and divinity all have their part
in 1t. Her eyes ar, Axcd upon the sleeping
youth, and perhaps the most extraordinary
thing about this beautiful work is the success
with which the artist has succeeded in depict
ing on the sleeper's worn and weary face the
sudden rising o. a new and spiritual thought
as the spell begins to work within his mind.
You can sea that an inspiration is breaking
In upon the darkness OF the mans soul, as the
dawn breaks In upon the darkness Of the
night. 1t Is q glorious piece OF statuary, and
NDLo Dub u Rctiuo CDulu udfo COucelVeu IL.
Between each OF the black marble columns is
some such group Of figures, some allegorical,
and some representing the persons and wives
OF deceased monarchs or great men; but none
of them, in our opinion, comes up to the one
l have described, although several are from
the hand of the great sculptor and engineer,
King Rademas. ,ty.r MA 81 4@as
III the exact center OF the hall was q solid
mass Of black marble about the size Of. a
baby's arm chair, which il rather resembled
In appearance. This, as we afterwards
learned. was the sacred stone OF this remark
able people, and on il their monarchs laid
their hand after the ceremony Of coronation,
and sworc by the sun to safeguard tho inter-
ests OF the empire, and to maintain its Gus
| toms, traditions and laws.
At the end Of the hall is a dais spread with
| rich carpets, on which two thrones arc set
side by side. These thrones are shaped like
| great chairs, and made of solid gold. The
seats are richly cushioned, but the backs are
left bare, and on each is carved the emblem
OF the sun, shooting out his fiery rays in all
directions. The footstools are golden lions
ccuchant. with yellow topazes set in them for
eyes. There are no other gems about them.
The place is lighted by numerous but mar
row windows, placed high up, cut on the
principle of the loopholes to be seen in an
Gent castles, but innocent Of glass, which was
| evidently unknown here. EAE
Such Is a brief description of this splendid
hall in which we now found ourselves, COM
piled, Of course. from our subsequent knowl.
| edge OF it. On this occasion we had but little
time for observation, for when we entered we
perceived that a large number OF men were
gathered together in front of the two thrones,
| which were unoccupied. The principal among
them were seated on carved wooden chairs
ranged TO the right and the left OF the
! thrones, but not in front Of them, and were
dressed in white TUNES, with various en-
| broideries and different colored edgings, and
armed with the usual pierced end gold inlaid
| swords. To judge from the dignity Of their
| appearance, they seemed ono and all to DO in
| dividuals Of very great Importance. Behind
each of these great men vas a small knot OF
followers and attendants
s ated by themselves, in a little group to
the left of the throne, were six men of a diff.
ferent stamp. Instead Of wearing the
| ordinary kilt they were clothed in long robes
| of pure white linen, with the same symbol Of
the sun that Is TO he seen on the back Of the
| chairs, emblazoned in gold thread upon the
breast. This garment was grit up ct the
waist with O simple golden curb like chain
- .-b.cl, b,.nw 1oor at1;.fto y1.foo - A.